Brenda Saydak

The Dance Instructor

Here is an absolutely gorgeous painting of a Kitty dressed in the costume of the classic Kabuki play character, the Wisteria Maiden. The play portrays the spirit of the wisteria as a fashionable young girl, extravagantly dressed in a long sleeved kimono and obi with a distinctive wisteria pattern. She also carries a wisteria branch with which she poses as the dance begins. Miss Kitty is practicing her dance steps – with the help of a small critic! No scan will do these colors justice, when you tip the painting into the light the metallic pigments shine (you can see this a bit on the last photo). The background is mostly pure metallic gold, which gives it a cloisonne effect – very theatrical!